VW transports couple back to Europe trip

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10:57 am PDT, Monday, September 19, 2016

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VW transports couple back to Europe trip

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Terry Witzel is a native San Franciscan who grew up in the Bay Area. He met his wife, Diana, while they were students at UC Davis. They were married in 1967, after Terry was discharged from the U.S. Army following a tour in Vietnam. Terry and his wife are both retired from their respective careers in food processing and teaching. In 1968, they decided to purchase a car and take delivery in Europe while on a three month vacation. That’s where this story begins.

Our decision to purchase a Volkswagen Squareback in 1968 was a practical one. The thought of owning the car 50 years in the future would have made us laugh. But our freshly restored VW is the one laughing now.

My wife and I intended to purchase a car and take delivery in Europe. We bought our Squareback from Dave Rasmussen VW in San Mateo, through Volkswagen’s European Tourist Delivery Program. This allowed U.S. buyers to order new VWs, pick them up in Europe and then ship the cars home at the end of their travels. Volkswagen handled all the shipping logistics for their customers.

When ordering the car, we could choose the exterior color, one of three radios and standard or whitewall tires. Those were the extent of our options. Our selection of white paint meant that the interior would be red. There was no other choice. We placed our order, paid in full and went about planning our trip.

Several months later we flew to Frankfurt, Germany, where we were greeted by local VW representatives. At the dealership we signed the necessary documents, paid for insurance and were given the car keys. We were told there was one gallon of gas in the tank and were directed to the nearest fuel station.

After visiting a friend in Heidelberg, we began our journey through much of Western Europe. The VW performed well as we toured 7,800 miles in three months. We had the car serviced by local VW shops in Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Geneva. At the end of our stay, we returned the car to the shipping agent in Frankfurt and flew home.

The Squareback became our family car when we had two children. The kids first rode in an infant bed, and then a plastic seat secured by seatbelts. They were nothing like today’s child seats. In the 1970s even putting kids in the front seat was acceptable. Time changes everything.

Over the years the VW became our extra car. No longer a daily driver, it still served us well. Both kids learned to operate a manual transmission by driving it in the expanse of the old Fashion Island Mall parking lot after hours.

Eventually, we used the Squareback so infrequently that we decided it was better to preserve it than let it deteriorate. It sat on blocks, protected in a barn for many years, before returning home on a trailer. It was time to either resurrect it or sell it. The unpleasant thought of parting with the car, and with it so many wonderful memories, led to a two-year restoration.

After thorough research, I chose LaVere’s VW Restoration in Concord to handle taking the entire car apart. They were charged with restoring or replacing every piece, and bringing it back to original showroom condition. The car now sports new paint, new upholstery and a fully rebuilt 1600cc engine. The 1968 model was the first with fuel injection, and though parts are nearly impossible to find, LaVere’s did an amazing job bringing the system back to life. The restoration was long and had some hiccups, but in the end it was worth it.

Now that we’re retired, my wife and I use the car for day trips around the Bay Area. Along the quiet backroads, we can almost believe that we’re still in Europe in 1968, driving our new car and starting our life together. Maybe time doesn’t change everything.

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